Display device having removable nonrigid panel



Dec. 12, 1950 J, EICHELMAN 2,533,565

DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING REMOVABLE NQNRIGID PANEL Filed July 3, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 12, 1950 J. M. EICHELMAN 2,533,565

DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING REMOVABLE NONRIGID PANEL Filed July 3, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y "device; .and

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 FIC EDISPIJAY :DE'VIGE HAVING REMOVABLE NONRIGID PANEL JohnM. Eich'elman, Downers Grove, Ill.

*Applicationiluly 3, 1948, SerialfNo.r3i6,859

(emu-125) v 6 Claims. Til

Myinventionrelates to display devices.

More particularly it comprises. a .frameand a 1 detachable flexible panel by -which,. for-example, .zadvertising, notices-and the like -may .beattracl-tively displayed.

:An .object of .my invention is .to provide an -improved display device v.of -the character men- .tioned.

.Anotherobjectis to provide a display eirame -o1'.- border.- into which a. flexible panel or .placard :may be quickly-and :easily applied and from which -.the panel =may be qquickly and easily re- :moved for the .purpose of replacement -'when changes aremecessary .or desirable.

.Another' object :is to zprovide a"=frame which will hold a 1 flexible ,panel or plac ard' in taut. eon- -diti0n.

Another object .is to .provide adisplay frame which prevents ewind, water iand "the 'like :from bulgingor wrinkling .orxtearing :the panels.

=A:f-1.1rther :obiect= is to provide a display frame which will properly .hold a-flexible display-panel "without accurate-fitting.

A furtherobject-is to provide aIframe-which -=will r protect a flexible and fragile placard ep'an'el, such as one made of papenffrom -ser-ious:injury esuc'h as puncturing.

-1Another object is to protect the .panels from injury by the frame.

Other objects and advantages avill hereinaiter @appear.

Preferred embodiments of "my invention are illustrated by the accompanying "drawings, wherein Fig. 1"is "a frontelevation of "a (complete :"disv:play device; 'assembiy'fof' frame and panel;

:Fig. 2'is'an enlarged front el'evati'onfand parrtial section of' th'e assembly;

rF-ig. '3'is"a"vertical cross'section on the line It-3 of "Fig-2;

Fig. 4" is *an enlarged perspective 0ro'n'e of the :rspring clips with which one "side of a "display panel :is retained "in ithe frame;

Stis a side 'elevation or the-spring clip Fig. 6 is a perspective of a relatively-rigidclip "for anchoring an edge of "a display 'jpane'l oppo- :Sitfiithd "spring iclips Fig. 7 is airont'ielevationof 'a modifieddisplay :Fig. 8 is a brokenfront elevationofaaportion of display panel or placardshowing particu- :larly. its reinforcement where the -springlretain- :ing clips engagezit.

.The frame I.! which,.-1s :an I open rectangular .panel may becomposed of metal, -woo'cl,..p1astic or any.v desired appropriate .material of sufllcient rigidity. Or asshownandpreierred, the .frame LE may be -.of composite construction consisting of a core ll of wood or other.desired material, :anda .thin-outer-shell 12 of appropriate ..metal,

- such as stainless steel. .Thetop side-of frame H) .is .provided with an inwardlyopening. groove i3 =the opposite side of .the .frame .is .likewise v. provided with aninwardly opening groove 54 which, preferably, .tapers I slightly upwardly and out- .avardly. -.A rectangular backing aboard denom- -.posed-of-. such material as .wood, astifi cardboard, any of-the well..-known-composite fibenboards-or even of meta1,.-fits..into.grooves l3and .l l-at-the top and bottom respectively and lS'Cutt0'a:-SiZ substantially to .fill the opening Within the frame H7.

-Preferably =the..frame isarranged ato .hold two display panels or plaeardslfilandlzl, oneoneach side of the backing board 15. .These panels, upon which, for example advertising, .notices and other forms of display may be painted,

f aprinted, lithographedcorotherwise applied :may

be made-10f :fiexible fabric-such .as almost any :desired itype andquality-ofpaper, cloth, cello- ;ph'ane or other material of like nature.

These flexible display. panels or placards .are

retained in taut .condition Within the frameby springclips '25 at one side (preferably the .top) zandrelatively non-=resilient or rigid clips =26 at athe opposite'side (preferably the-bottom) of the frame. If the display :panel or placard is narrowyonly one retaining clip 10f each type -may suffice, or if the panel or placard .is :of extreme Width, more than two clips of each type may :be required. 'Ordinar-ilyghowever, twozclips of- -each typed-will be likely -to :produce the best results.

'sReferringespecially .to Figs. .2, 3, 413,116.15, :the preferred construction and 7 application of a spring :clip "25 .will be explained. This: spring. clip :is made from g a single piece 10f resilient .wire, preferably :a good :grade ofrsteel spring wire. The Wire'is bent atiits middle to .formtwo-sub- 'stantially' parallel legs :2 1 in general resemblance toJa hairpin. :A: short distance .from:.therreverse :curvec28 :ofthe clip, :the 1egs2l are bentinto rather sharp :return: curves 2 9 that define an anchoring portion :38 whichyas 'shownmost clearly FigsJZand '3, 1ies within and'against the bottom of frame grooveli where.itisiheldfirmly'in hooks 36 which may, if desired, project outside of the plane of the border frame. When these resilient clips are in place with their anchoring portions 30 in and held against the bottom of the frame groove M by the bottom edge of backing board 5, the risers 35 lie loosely on opposite sides of the backing board and the hooks 36 project outwardly and downwardly from opposite faces of the backing board, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Normally the legs 21, risers 35 and hooks 36 of the resilient clips are, because of the resiliency of the spring metal of which they are composed, biased to lie in a depressed position as shown by the full lines of Fig. 2. They may, however, be independently elevated against that spring bias to the position indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2. This elevated position is the one to.which they are raised when a placard is to be hooked in place or unhooked for removal, as will be presently explained.

The relativel rigid panel engaging clips 26 at the top of the frame border, are as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 6 made from a single piece of flat metal bent into somewhat U shape to provide an anchoring base portion 40 and a pair of outwardly extending risers 4|. Preferably the risers 4| normally spread somewhat, as shown in Fig. 6, and are made sufliciently flexible and resilient so that they may be forced toward each other but tend to separate. Each rigid clip terminates in an outwardly turned hook 42. These clips are positioned with the base portion 4| resting on the bottom of the top frame groove l3 and the risers 4| extending from the frame toward the resilient clips at the opposite side of the border as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Then when the backing board I is shoved into place, its upper edge goes into the groove l3 between the risers 4| and the rigid clips are thereby anchored to the frame, the resiliency of the clips serving to prevent looseness.

The panels or placards 2|I-2| may be alike except for the displays they carry, which may be duplicates or different, as desired. A panel is a generally rectangular piece of fabric shaped to fit rather loosely into the opening of the frame or border. Its upper and lower edges are provided with means to be engaged by the hooks of the upper relatively rigid retaining clips and the lower spring retaining clips. Preferably this means comprises an edging 45 of metal which, as shown most clearly in Fig. 8, is made trough shape to encompass the panel edge and, when compressed, tightly to grip the edge. If the retaining clips are located near the inner four corners of the border frame, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, each panel edging projects beyond the side margin of the panel, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 8, to provide a catch 46 at each panel side margin for engagement by the hooks of the associated clips. In order to afford protection for the margins or edges of a panel adjacent the latches 46, one side or flange of edging 45 may be extended for a distance over a surface of the panel as indicated at 41 in Fig. 8.

In applying a display panel to either side of the backing board, the projecting catches 46 at opposite top corners of the panel are hooked to upper clips 26, then the two catches 46 at the opposite bottom corners of the panel are hooked to the two lower clips 25. This may be readily done, even though the height of a panel is less than the normal distance between upper clips 26 and lower clips 25, because these lower clips, on account of their resiliency permit t e JQQK 36 to be raised, by pulling up on finger grips 31. until the lower corner catches 46 can be hooked under hooks 36 of these lower clips, as indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2. After a panel is thus hooked in place between the upper and lower retaining clips, the lower clips are released whereupon their resiliency causes the hooked free ends to return to normal, or near normal positions as indicated by the full lines of Fig. 2. Thus, not only is it easy to position and remove and replace display panels whenever necessary or desirable but the panels are maintained in a taut, unwrinkled and not readily distorted condition, and this condition is attainable even though the height of the panels may vary considerably. In other words, a sightly appearance is attainable and maintainable without accurate fitting and wind or water, which might cause panels to bulge or shrink or expand do not cause trouble, and the likelihood of panels becoming torn if they shrink for any cause is lessened if not eliminated.

Fig. 7 shows a modification wherein the panel retaining clips are located in regions remote from the panel and border corners. Here the hooks of clips 25 and 26 engage the panel edge bindings not beyond the side margins of a panel, as previously explained, but well toward the center of the panel. In order to enable the clip hooks to hook around the edge binding strips, the panel may be provided with openings or windows 50 which permit the hooks to reach the binding.

The backing boards provide rigid and strong reinforcement to the panels, which is important if the panels are made of frail fabric, such as paper. With this reinforcement close back of the panels, the panels will not be so easily injured, such as by being punctured by some object. However, if desirable, the backing board may be omitted, in which event the panel retaining clips may be properl anchored in the border grooves by ordinary nails or staples. And, of course, by merely halving the panel retaining clips so as to remove the hook on one side single panel, instead of the double panel, display devices may be produced.

Having thus illustrated and explained the nature and several embodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A display device comprising, in combination, an open rig d border frame having facing grooves in at least two of its opposite sides; at least one pair of clips, at least one clip of a pair being resilient relative to the other and each clip having a hook portion disposed within the open ng of the frame and an anchoring portion extending into a frame groove; a relatively stiff backing board fitting between and into the grooved sides of the frame over the anchoring portion of both clips to wedge those portions into the grooves and thereby retain the clips in place on the frame; and a fabric display panel provided with means cooperating with the hook portions of the clips to hold the panel under tension in the frame.

2. A d splay device comprising, in combination, a rigid rectangular open frame'havin an inwardly facing groove in two opposite sides; a relatively stilT backing board bridging across the frame between its grooved sides; a pair of relatively rigid panel-engaging clips at one groove side of the frame, each rigid clip having two hooks and an intermediate U-shaped body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove; a pair of resilient panel-engaging clips at the opposite grooved side of the frame, each resilient clip having two resilient hooks and an intermediate body portion, the hooks being on opposite sidies of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove; said backing board being a size to press upon the U-shaped body portions of the panelengaging clips to retain them in the frame grooves; and a flexible fabric panel having means engageable by the hooks of the clips to hold the panel removably and taut within the opening of the frame.

3. A display device comprising, in combination, a rigid rectangular open frame having an inwardly facing groove in two opposite sides; a relatively stiff backing board lying within the frame between its grooved sides; a pair of relatively rigid panel-engaging clips at one grooved side of the frame, each rigid clip having two hooks and a U-shaped body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove; a pair of resilient panel-engaging clips at the opposite grooved side of the frame, each resilient clip having two resilient hooks and an intermediate body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove, said backing board bein of a size to press upon the U-shaped body portions of the panel-engaging clips; and a flexible fabric panel having a metal binding along two opposite edges, the binding being engageable by the hooks of the clips to hold the panel taut but removably within the frame.

4. A display device comprising, in combination, a rigid rectangular open frame havin an inwardly facing groove in two opposite sides; a relatively stiff backing board lying within the frame between its grooved sides; a pair of relatively rigid panel-engaging clips at one grooved side of the frame, each rigid clip having two hooks and a U-shaped body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove; a pair of resilient panelengaging clips at the opposite grooved side of the frame, each resilient clip having two resilient hooks and a body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove, said backing board being of a size to press upon the U-shaped body portions of the panel-engaging clips; and a flexible fabric panel having a metal binding along two opposite edges, the binding extending beyond the edges of the panel and there being engaged by the hooks of the clips to hold the panel taut but removable within the frame.

5. A display frame comprising, in combination, a rigid rectangular open frame having an inwardly facing groove in two opposite sides; a relatively stiff backing board bridging across the frame between its grooved sides; a pair of relatively rigid panel-engaging clips at one grooved side of the frame, each rigid clip having two hooks and an intermediate U-shaped body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove; and a pair of resilient panel-engaging clips at the opposite grooved side of the frame, each resilient clip having two resilient hooks and an intermediate body portion, the hooks being on opposite sides of the backing board and extending inwardly of the frame when the body portion lies in the frame groove, said backing board being of a size to press upon the U-shaped body portions of the panel-engaging clips.

6. A frame for tautly supporting a pair of display panels, comprising a border for surrounding the panels and having at least two sides which are opposite each other and between which the display panels may be placed; and at least two panel retaining clips, at least one for each of the opposing sides and one of which clips is resiliently movable toward and from the other clip, each clip having two hooks which lie on opposite sides of a plane median to the faces of the border to engage and hold the two display panels parallel to each other; and means for anchoring the clips to the associated sides of the border.

JOHN M. EICHELMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,613,933 Castleton Jan. 11, 1927 1,895,309 Boomershine Jan. 24, 1933 1,970,256 Terrel Aug. 14, 1934 2,149,985 Tepper Mar. 7, 1939 2,173,334 Julien et al Sept. 19, 1939 2,246,995 Ingersoll et al June 24, 1941 2,355,518 Dow Aug, 8, 1944 

